Access control repository for providing access control of service profiles for web based solutions

• US 20030115201A1
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Krishnamoorthy, Satheesh Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 7,054,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Method, apparatus and article of manufacture for implementing a common entitlement service through an access control repository. The access control repository is interposed between a front-end environment (i.e., a plurality of clients) and back-end resources containing a plurality of entitlement databases. During a browsing session, clients may invoke a plurality of applications each of which are configured to support different Web based solutions. To determine a customer'"'"'s entitlement to a particular solution, the applications access a common repository containing entitlement information. Illustratively, the common repository is populated with entitlement information from a plurality of diversified entitlement systems.

Claims

1. A method of providing entitlement services information to users, comprising:

receiving a request for entitlement services information for a particular user; and

in response to receiving the request, accessing a common entitlement services information repository;

wherein the common entitlement services information repository associates entitlement services with products to which the entitlement services attach and with users of the products;

wherein each of at least a portion of the plurality of users is associated with at least two products.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the common entitlement services information repository associates a combination of an entitlement service, a product and a user with a geographic region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two products comprise at least one hardware product and at least one software product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is issued by a Web based application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is issued by a first application invoked by the particular user browsing a Web site.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first application is configured to provide support for only a portion of a plurality of entitlement services represented in the common entitlement services information repository.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

responding to the request by providing the first application with entitlement services information for the particular user; and

passing the entitlement services information for the particular user from the first application to a second application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising populating the common entitlement services information repository with entitlement services data contained in a plurality of entitlement services databases each of which are specific to a particular product.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein populating comprises associating a combination of an entitlement service, a product and a user with a geographic region.

10. An entitlement services system, comprising:

a common entitlement services information system comprising a repository associating entitlement services with products to which the entitlement services attach and with users of the products;

wherein each of at least a portion of the plurality of users is associated with at least two products.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising at least one server hosting a plurality of applications each configured to issue requests to the common entitlement services information system for entitlement services information and each configured to pass the entitlement services information between one another.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the repository associates a combination of an entitlement service, a product and a user with a geographic region.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein each of at least a portion of the plurality of users is associated with at least two products.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least two products comprise at least one hardware product and at least one software product.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising at least one server hosting a plurality of applications each configured to issue requests to the common entitlement services information system for entitlement services information;

wherein each of the plurality of applications is configured to provide support for only a portion of a plurality of entitlement services represented in the repository.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a web server hosting a Web service providing an interface to each of the plurality of applications.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of applications are invoked by browser requests.

18. The system of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of entitlement services databases from which entitlement services information is replicated to the common entitlement services information repository.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of entitlement services databases is specific to a particular product.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of entitlement services databases is specific to a particular geographic region.

21. An entitlement services system, comprising:

(a) a common entitlement services information system, comprising;

a repository associating entitlement services with products to which the entitlement services attach and with users of the products;

wherein each of at least a portion of the plurality of users is associated with at least two products; and

an access control software component configured to access the repository in response to entitlement services information requests;

(b) at least one server executing a plurality of Web based applications configured to issue the entitlement services information requests; and

(c) a web server hosting a Web service providing an interface to each of the plurality of applications.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of applications is configured to provide support for only a portion of a plurality of entitlement services represented in the repository.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of applications are invoked by browser requests.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of applications are each configured to pass the entitlement services information between one another.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the repository associates a combination of an entitlement service, a product and a user with a geographic region.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least two products comprise at least one hardware product and at least one software product.

27. The system of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of entitlement services databases from which entitlement services information is replicated to the common entitlement services information repository.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of entitlement services databases is specific to a particular product.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of entitlement services databases is specific to a particular geographic region.